


What Comes Next

by edenbound



Series: Asexual Steve [5]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Asexual Character, Asexual Relationship, Asexuality, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-28
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2018-02-10 19:09:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2036643
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenbound/pseuds/edenbound
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony reacts to Bucky's return into Steve's life. All is not well.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It’s good that Bucky’s back. It really is. It’s put a smile on Steve’s face and unknotted all the tension that’s left Tony at a loss since the downfall of SHIELD, since Steve fought his best friend. Well. Ex-lover, really. So yeah, it’s good that Bucky’s back, because Steve has an arm around him and he’s _laughing_ and Tony, Tony hasn’t got that reaction from him in weeks.

It’s bad that Bucky’s back. It really is. Because he put Steve in the hospital, and Tony sat by him wondering how he’s supposed to love anyone if _everyone_ , even Cap, is so fragile. Because Tony’s selfish, okay? He knows it. He wants Steve to be his (maybe even “to have and to hold until”, etc, but it’s too soon for that even if Tony wants everyone to know that Steve’s off-limits now) and he doesn’t want any chance of being left alone now that he seems to have got Steve to himself.

More than the hurting him, though, it’s that selfishness that makes it hard. Because there’s Steve laughing, Steve who talked about having multiple partners to fill different needs, Steve who doesn’t laugh like that with Tony. Steve with his arm around Bucky. Who maybe had sex with Bucky, is maybe even capable of wanting Bucky in a way he doesn’t want Tony, because if Tony’s learned anything from his research it’s that asexuality doesn’t necessarily mean that _nobody_ can ever push Steve’s buttons.

So Tony thinks he knows what’s coming next, and it makes him feel sick.


	2. After Midnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Steve sorts Tony out, because there was really nothing to worry about and he should've known it.

It’s maybe a little late when Steve finally says goodnight to Bucky and goes up to the room he and Tony are tentatively sharing, wondering if Tony will be there and awake, or asleep, or down in his workshop, or — it makes Steve smile just thinking about Tony in any of those states, because he doesn’t know what he would’ve done without Tony these past weeks, and he can picture Tony waiting for him. Or working in his lab, intent on whatever. Steve likes imagining it both ways.

He’s not expecting to see Tony sat there with his arms crossed, lights off, just — staring. Steve frowns a little. “Jarvis, can you turn the lights on, please? Tony, what’s wrong?”

"I was just waiting for you," Tony said, but there’s a hard edge to his voice.

Steve goes across to him, leaning down for a kiss. Tony doesn’t pull away, but it doesn’t really kiss back, either. Steve sits down next to him and tries to take his hand. “Tony, what’s going on?”

"So when do I get you? That’s what I want to know. Are you his until midnight and then you turn into a pumpkin, or are you going to alternate days? Maybe I’ll get you on weekends?"

Steve shakes his head in confusion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

"You and Bucky. You must’ve figured out some arrangement, you’ve been talking long enough. Or was it something else? Were you — have you already had _sex_ with him?”

“ _What?_ ”

"You know what I’m talking about," Tony says, tugging his hand from Steve’s. "And you know, I’m desperate enough to share you, but you could at least have talked it through with me first. I am part of this relationship, right? You’re not breaking it off, you said you wouldn’t, so — "

"Tony," Steve says, suddenly understanding. He catches Tony’s face in his hands, smoothes his thumbs over Tony’s cheekbones. "Tony, love. I’m not — me and Bucky aren’t going to — you said you’re monogamous, right? Well so am I. Bucky’s just a friend. He always will be. But it’s you I want to do this with."

"Oh," Tony says, dumbly. "You — "

"Only want to have sex with you," Steve says, tries for a teasing smile, "or not have sex. Whatever."

"You don’t want him?"

Steve closes his eyes, because he kinda wants to smash everyone that made this brilliant, brilliant man so frightened of abandonment, so desperate to cling on to whatever love he can get. He kisses Tony, makes it last, strokes Tony’s cheekbones again and slides his hands into his hair, nuzzles against him when the kiss finally breaks. “No. I just want you.”

"I’ll hold you to that," Tony says, after a moment, and his hold on Steve, his kiss, is fierce and sweet.

**Author's Note:**

> I promise there will be a direct sequel ficbit to this, probably posted as a second chapter to this, in which Steve deals with this.


End file.
